The BRIDGE Initiative, Engagement of Parents of Students with Disabilities

The BRIDGE Initiative (Building Resources for Inclusive Development and Growth in Education) is an initiative of the Rutgers Center for Effective School Practices (CESP) in collaboration with the New Jersey Department of Education’s Office of Special Education. The initiative focuses on improving the engagement of parents and caregivers of students with disabilities by curating and designing accessible resources, supporting the development of Special Education Parent Advisory Groups (SEPAGs), strengthening literacy partnerships between home and school, and enhancing family participation in inclusive education and the New Jersey Tiered System of Supports (NJTSS/MTSS).

Grounded in the Dual Capacity-Building Framework for Family-School Partnerships and Implementation Sciences, The BRIDGE Initiative combines resource curation and the development of technical assistance with best practices in dissemination, implementation, and audience engagement. Resources and technical assistance opportunities are carefully designed and formatted to ensure they are not only accurate, but also actionable, relevant, and accessible. Taken together, efforts under The BRIDGE Initiative contribute to improved educational outcomes for students with disabilities across New Jersey.

The BRIDGE Initiative promotes strong partnerships between families and schools to help students with disabilities make steady progress towards their learning goals; it's work is centered around SEPAGs, IEPs & Inclusion, Literacy, and NJTSS. Learn more here, or visit The BRIDGE Portal for free resources at cesp.rutgers.edu/bridge-portal.